Falling Northeast Temperatures
Push Natural-Gas Prices Higher

By

Peter A. McKay Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal

Updated Dec. 5, 2000 12:01 a.m. ET

Natural-gas prices, which already had been rising all year, shot up 11.4% to an all-time high at the New York Mercantile Exchange Monday in reaction to cold weather in the Northeast and forecasts of more to come.

For consumers, the price surge -- putting natural gas at more than triple the year-ago level -- could show up in home-heating bills soon.

Even those who use heating oil could see an increase, analysts say; some...